CHENNAI: The Indian Institute of Technology Madras and Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) are set to create India’s own SHAKTI Semiconductor Chip: India is making great progress in advanced technology. The country has successfully developed its own semiconductor chip for space use. This big achievement was made possible by a partnership between IIT Madras and ISRO.
The new chip is called IRIS (Indigenous RISC-V Controller for Space Applications). It is based on the SHAKTI microprocessor and is completely made in India. This chip will help ISRO with important space operations, including command and control systems. It is designed to be highly reliable and can handle tough space conditions. It also has special features like WATCHDOG timers and advanced serial buses, making it strong and efficient. Plus, it can be upgraded for future space missions.
Many teams across India worked together to build this chip. IISU Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala) came up with the idea, IIT Madras designed it, and Semi-Conductor Laboratory Chandigarh manufactured it. Tata Advanced Systems in Karnataka handled the packaging, while its motherboard was made in Gujarat and assembled in Chennai. IIT Madras also developed the software and tested the chip.
Professor V. Kamakoti, Director of IIT Madras, said this is India’s third SHAKTI chip, following RIMO in 2018 and MOUSHIK in 2020. ISRO Chairman Dr. V. Narayanan called it a huge step forward for India’s semiconductor industry. Kamaljeet Singh, Director General of ISRO’s Inertial Systems Unit in Chandigarh, highlighted that the chip was made using India’s 180 nm semiconductor technology, proving the country’s growing ability to make its own chips.
The Indigenous-RISCV-Controller for Space Applications chip can be utilised in multiple domains from Internet of Things (IoT) and compute systems for strategic needs, IIT Chennai said in its release.
This achievement is a big boost for India’s "Make in India" and "Atmanirbhar Bharat" initiatives, helping the country become self-reliant in semiconductor and space technology.